Improved hambs-fastewer



' quickly operated,`either to fasten the haines upon the gether, operate to eliect theresult, when attached to I -To enable those skilled in the art to make and use "Upon `this bent lever isa projecting stud,-j, which,

. upon the collar, having rings at each end, but, instead theI haines, oneI ring only is so inserted, while the other .black lines in fig. 3, the stud f enters hole g in thea spring-catch d, and held securely in position, as seen the spring-catchholds the lever to its position.

with the thumb 'of the same hand pressing 'against the strap, as is shown in redflines in` iin. 3, and the opersont mail.

THOMAS sKELToN,A or

lettersPaten't N 85,250,

`ROCKFORD, iLLpNois.

dated Deceznblsw 22, 18h25.v

IMPRovnnHAms-rnsfrmvnn.

- Thy Schedule referred to injthese Letters Patent andmavking part of the same ATo all, whom it ma/y come-rn:

Be it known that I, THOMAS SKELTQN, of Rockford, in the county -of Winnebago, in the State -of Illinois, have invented a new and improved IMode of Fastening. Haines; and I do hereby declare 'that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. Y y

The Object of`ths invention is to furnish a fasten-A in'g for haines iu'horse-,harnesa thatwill be easily and collars, or to release the hames for removal, and' that willbe eectuahand entirely secure, as a fastening, and, from liability to accident; and' It consists of a combination ofl devices, which, to-

the hames in the manner to operate as hereinafter set forth.

my invention, .I will describe its construction and operation.

' Figure l1 isa side view of the fastener; n Figure 2 is a 'plan view ofthe same; and

Figure 3 shows a full collar and haines, with my improvement attached, 'and in which- A represents a common collar of a harness, and B, the haines, all constructedin the. usual manner; and, to one side ofthe haines, is attached the fastener, by meansof rivets, screws, or other convenient and secure devices. Y

The fastener consists of a hook-plate, a, which is iirmly secured to the haines B by any means.` -Upon this plate is a stud, c, which supports and prevents the spring-catch d from advancing too far forward, and nerthe end ofthe hook, on plate a, is pivoted, at c, a hooked and bent lever, b.

when in position, tits into hole g in plate a.

i is the common strap, used in fastening the haines of the rings going into the loops formed at the lower ends ofthe hames by the metal straps, which strengthen Vit passed over lever b into the hook-part, as seen in iig. 3 in red lines.

When the lever is ra'sed'to the position, als seen in plate a, and the end of the hook-leverl is caught by the in figs; 3 and 1.

The stud f, entering hole g, prevents any lateral strain from throwing the fastening from position, and

. 'To release the'fastenng, it only needs the fore-finger to be placed under the upper end of the' lever, and

spring-catch'at the same -time lift the lever with the finger, when the lever will fall down and 'release' the ation is complete, only'requiring a single hand to re- Athe hook-end, and the hook-end of the lever b pivoted to the hook-end of plate a in such way that the hookend of lever b willl work inisuch slot, or the lever 'may be formed so as to be caught by a spring-catch in various ways, and not depart'iiorn my invention.

I am aware that fasteuiugs for haines have been used, in'which a hook-lever was'employed for tightening and releasing the harnes-strap,'but such wfg-e not constructed like mine, as the hook-lever alom held and operated the llames-strap, the whole strainjleing upon the said hook-lever.

Another' objection tothe use of such as have heretofore been made is that the arms, to which the hook- Ylever is pivoted, project at nearly right angles, and so l far from the llames as to be always in the way, and liable to be broken by striking Aagainst obstacles, orso deranged as to be useless .and inoperative; and, further, the spring used in such fastening always operates against the power applied to ttighten or. release the haines.

Slides have also been used for retaining the hook-y lever, by sliding them upon the haines-plate, and over the end of the hook-lever, which must,.from necessity, be close to the llames-plate, requiring both hands of the operator to remove the slide, and throw open the lever, to release the strap, which alone is a great inconvenience and hindrance. p

While, in my improvement, the fastener is-close in contact with the haine, the hook-end of the hames a, when the lever is in position to hold the haines, takes all the strain, and none is on the hook-lever; and to tighten or release the haines, only one hand of the operator is equired to eiiect the release, or tosecure the haines.

Hook-b 17ers have also been used in the strap or connection between th'e haines,l whichA serve to tighten or a, bent lever b, having studf, and pivoted together asY described; stud c, spring-catch (l, with the rings hand Astrap i, arranged with relation to each other, and to operate together, in the manner and for the purpose described.

v THOMAS SKELTON. -Witnesses:

HENRY N. MYGATT,

NEWTON' CRAWFORD. 

